[Andy]

I was just on Simplicity's website looking around at the Legacy XL and they are no longer showing the Kawasaki. All they show now is the Kohler Command for the 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive and the Diesel.

 

[TennesseeJim]

Andy; looked at the site after you pointed it out. You are right as it has Kohler on the top; but I noticed that on the bottom of the specifications, it still lists the weight of the tractor for the Liquid Cooled Kawasaki and the price.

So three different weights and three different prices, may be a mistake on the top. Hope so That Kawasaki is a great engine!

 

[Andy]

I sure don't know why they would do that.

 

[Jay H]

Wow, I checked it out too and it sure looks like the line up is:

• 2WD Kohler air cooled
• 4WD B&S Diesel
• 4WD Kohler air cooled

I wonder if this is more of Briggs removing any competitor's motors from their line up or if Simplicity just isn't selling enough water cooled gas motors...

 

[UrbanTractor]

Wow, I checked it out too and it sure looks like the line up is:

• 2WD Kohler air cooled
• 4WD B&S Diesel
• 4WD Kohler air cooled

I wonder if this is more of Briggs removing any competitor's motors from their line up or if Simplicity just isn't selling enough water cooled gas motors...

Wow. So that would leave the diesel as the only water cooled option? Interesting.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the lower hp rating of that Kawa engine, under the new hp rating system? I think the 27 hp Kawa is about 23 hp now.

 

[Justy37]

My guess is comes to this. It is obvious for simplicity that there better engines are liquid cooled which normally is a Kawasaki. But, if a company is facing hard economy times. They start cutting back on the good stuff and start selling you the cheap stuff usually at the same price. Kohler and B&S are cheap engines. So does not surprise me those one day will be the only option. You might be able to get a LQ engine as a order option.

 

[Jay H]

Kohler and B&S are cheap engines. So does not surprise me those one day will be the only option. You might be able to get a LQ engine as a order option.

Just to clarify, the Kohler products and the Briggs diesel engine (a rebadged Diahatsu) are not cheap engines.

I wouldn't speculate that Simplicity is going under just yet. Briggs is a HUGE company that makes a ton of motors for the small engine market, so there is cash behind these businesses.

All this could be is a slimming of duplicated product offerings, a marketing exercise, a supplier issue or any of the above.

Kubota does not offer any gas powered engines in their line up of the same frame size as the XL. Maybe Simplicity is doing a similar thing by making things more simple for the consumer. I've had more than one dealership tell me the only XL they will stock (if they stock them at all) are the diesel powered ones.

 

[Justy37]

I might try a Kubota hear some good stuff on them. I rather have diesel then gas anyways truck & skidsteer is diesel. So make it easier buying one fuel.

 

[TennesseeJim]

JD offered that Kawasaki FD750 Gas V-Twin LC engine in their Ultimate Tractor X700 series. I wonder if that status has changed.

 

[John-RF]

I would venture to say that Kohler is on the way out also. They replaced the 27hp Kohler with a 30hp Briggs in the Prestige. If they have dropped the Kawasaki and I wanted a bigger tractor I hate to say it but I would look at the JD 700 series.

 

[UrbanTractor]

JD offered that Kawasaki FD750 Gas V-Twin LC engine in their Ultimate Tractor X700 series. I wonder if that status has changed.

No, JD still offers the Kawa V-twin in the gas versions of the X700 series. The diesel version is a Yanmar.

 

[Alan Lloys]

I would venture to say that Kohler is on the way out also. They replaced the 27hp Kohler with a 30hp Briggs in the Prestige. If they have dropped the Kawasaki and I wanted a bigger tractor I hate to say it but I would look at the JD 700 series.

Simplicity now being owned by Briggs may have a lot to do with them replacing the Kohler with the Briggs :thThumbsU

I must admit that I do like the design and functions of the JD 700 series. But just like the Legacy XL they are just way too expensive new. I cannot see paying $ 10k+ for these machines.
I have paid a little less than that combined for all the equipment listed in my signature. It may not be as good as a new tractor, but they do everything I am asking of them so I really can't complain.

 

[gburnett]

I've seen a couple of those Legacy diesels at auctions with less than 1000 hrs with engine problems.Like to find a 4WD with a bad engine to put in a 16HP single cylinder Kohler to match my JD 445 conversion.

 

[Andy]

I would venture to say that Kohler is on the way out also. They replaced the 27hp Kohler with a 30hp Briggs in the Prestige. If they have dropped the Kawasaki and I wanted a bigger tractor I hate to say it but I would look at the JD 700 series.

Their site is still showing only the 27hp Kohler for the Prestige. I know they put a 30hp Briggs in the one that they were selling to Sears.

 

[OrangeMan05]

I would venture to say that Kohler is on the way out also. They replaced the 27hp Kohler with a 30hp Briggs in the Prestige. If they have dropped the Kawasaki and I wanted a bigger tractor I hate to say it but I would look at the JD 700 series.

The Craftsman PGT9500 had several differences from the Prestige. Simplicity was not going to allow them to have the same spec tractor and offer it for less. The B&S 30hp engine was more then likely a result of contracting with Simplicity(B&S) to build Sears version. Not to mention, Sears's had a 28hp engine in the PGT9000, and to go with a 27hp Kohler in a tractor that cost over $3000 more, would not make sense and justification to allot of buyers. The addition of a 30hp would.

 

[John-RF]

My Prestige has the 30hp Briggs. Had to wait for it cause they were switching the 2012's to Briggs. Has a new fuel system with no choke.

 

[OrangeMan05]

My Prestige has the 30hp Briggs. Had to wait for it cause they were switching the 2012's to Briggs. Has a new fuel system with no choke.

If it was a Vanguard, I would say great. The handwritings on the wall for what Simp fans have dreaded since 2004. I guess I'll start looking toward the green side.

 

[shamrockjack]

This is all too Bad is this the end of Simplicity as we knew it? I would hate to think it would become another substandard mower Co.

 

[Mr. Destiny]

Hey Fellas, just got off the phone with the local dealer and they contacted the Simplicity rep. to verify because they listed it only on the xl 4x4 (#2690347) the rep said yes they DO still have the Kawasaki in the 4x4 version of lhe Legacy but not for the 2 wd. Hope this helps calm some of us down a bit.
Bill

 

[TennesseeJim]

That's Great, I love my Kawasaki LC Gas. Simplicity was smart to offer three great engines in these legacy's. Kohler Command; Kaw and the B&S Diahatsu Diesel. A great lineup.

It gives choices to the customer. Other guys do as well offer a little variety. I think Simplicity does know their customer base. However they do need to fix that web page.:howdy: